Local nominated for world award
Matkovich will line up against two other South Africans, and a group of world golf greats that include Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Sir Nick Faldo and Greg Norman.
North Coast golf course designer Peter Matkovich has been nominated in an international competition to select the world’s top golf course designer of the year.
Previous winners of the prestigious World Golf Award for course designers include the legendary American golfer Jack Nicklaus and British champion Sir Nick Faldo.
Matkovich will now line up against two other South Africans – Gary Player and Ernie Els – and a group of world golf greats that include Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Sir Nick Faldo and Greg Norman.
Also read: Four of the best golf courses on the Dolphin Coast
A former tour professional from Zimbabwe, he played in two Open Championships: Carnoustie in 1968 and St Andrews in 1970.
In 1973, Peter and his family moved to South Africa and he joined the Umhlali Country Club as club professional. He cut his designing teeth on the course, expanding it from nine to 18 holes in 1975 – a move that opened many doors for him.
Since then he has completed more than 20 world-class golf courses and renovated more than 20 others, cementing him as one of the leading designers in Southern Africa.
Many top South African courses bear his signature – Pinnacle Point, Arabella, Leopard Rock and many others – and locally Umhlali, Simbithi and Prince’s Grant.
and built golf courses
throughout Africa.
His courses are also in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Mauritius, Nigeria and Tanzania. Having built two courses in the south of Mauritius – Heritage and Avalon – his newest course, Mont Choisy in the northeast of the island, has also been nominated for World’s Best New Golf Course of 2018.
Matkovich and his wife, Jane, live on the North Coast’s Simbithi golf estate.
Asked how he felt about the nomination, he said he was “incredibly humbled” to be in the company of such legendary figures of golf.
“I must say I am surprised to have been nominated, but I am humbled to be named alongside such great names in golf,” he said this week.
The awards for Designer of the Year and other awards will be presented at the La Manga golf resort in Spain in November.
Voting is open to the public and may be cast on the website worldgolfawards.com.
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